It's the end of another era. The record shop that's boosted the careers of legends like Elvis Presley and B.B. King is closed for good. Poplar Tunes shut its doors Thursday, posting a sign on the door thanking customers for decades of business.
The King of Rock and Roll released his first record at the downtown store.Longtime Memphis music legend George Klein knew Presley personally. He remembers hanging out at Pop Tunes with him back in the day.
"More often than not, Elvis Presley would walk in, because there was nothing happening in Memphis after 10 in those days," said Klein.
Memphis' original record shop is now sealed up. Doors locked. Customers walked away Friday, disappointed.
"I did not know they were closed," said customer Jimmy Johnson. He would occassionally shop for music here after work.
"A lot of people like myself would want the original copy instead of something off the internet," said customer Eddie Blevins.
The sign posted on the door says the store just couldn't compete with big-box retailers and the internet. Add to that the high cost of operation and it was reduced to quote "road kill with a slight pulse."
"Nationwide I think it was regarded as one of the last great record stores," said longtime Memphis DJ Steve Conley.
Callers on his morning show shared memories today.
"I had a story on the air today, the caller said 'When I was 6 years old, my dad took me to Pop Tunes and I bought a needle for my Mickey Mouse record player," he said.
He says the internet has dramatically changed the landscape of the music business.
"The days of the old record stores as we know it, I guess are gone," he said.
Mom and Pop shop record stores, even with a history as rich as this one are finding it impossible to keep up.
Source: Various / Updated: Sep 11, 2009
http://www.elvisnews.com/news.aspx/poplar-tunes-closed/12010
Sujet: Poplar Tunes Closed 
